European airlines and airports paid out 3bn in 2002 for anti-terrorist measures demanded by their governments according to a new EC study.
Now five European associations representing airlines, airports and flight crews have demanded governments adopt a “comprehensive and responsible funding programme.”
In a joint statement, the Association of European Airlines, the European Regions Airline Association, the Airports Council International, the European Cockpit Association and the European Air Carrier Association said: “Terrorist action is aimed at governments and not the airline industry. The terrorist threat therefore requires a united front from the aviation industry and their governments.”
The five said EC report showed that the US government had provided $32bn aid to its aviation industry in the same period which showed the US “understood its responsibility for protecting society…against terrorist acts.”
The statement added: “The European aviation industry does not seek State aid, but merely the transfer of a clear public responsibility back into the hands of governments.
Airlines object to Greek aid
Seven European airlines have accused the Greek government of circumventing EC rules on state aid in its support of its national carrier Olympic Airlines.
The airlines, among them BA, Lufthansa and Iberia, made their complaint in a letter to Francois Lamoureux, the EC's director-general of its energy and transport directorate.
They said that Olympic regularly received “generous state support in spite of its chronic deficits” in contravention of EC state aid rules. The carriers said Olympic losses in 2003 were around 220m.
The Greek government is currently renewing its efforts to privatise its loss making carrier and has invited p interested bidders to contact its financial advisers. Previous attempts to privatise Olympic were unsuccessful.
The airline has since been re-structured with its flight operations separated from its ground services. The EC is already studying this break up after concerns that the Greek government was funding the unprofitable ground services.